Harris Goldberg is a Canadian-American director, writer and producer.[1] He co-wrote the 1999 filmDeuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo withRob Schneider[2] and the 2002 filmThe Master of Disguise withDana Carvey.[3] In 2007, Goldberg wrote and directed the filmNumb, inspired by his own experiences battling an anxiety disorder.
Goldberg was born inHamilton,Ontario. He studied atMcMaster University and received aB.A. degree in English. While attending McMaster, Goldberg started to write, create films, and host and perform radio shows, stand-up comedy at clubs aroundToronto, and play in his rock band called Oliver Twist. AClash-like foursome known for their on-stage personal tension, during one memorable New Year's Eve gig, at the reputedly mob-owned Jockey Club, Goldberg smashed his entire drum kit and broke his arm.[citation needed]
Goldberg's first passion was tennis. He reached a Canadian (SW Ontario) Junior Tennis ranking of number two. After taking a year off to pursue the Satellite tennis circuit, he came to the conclusion that tennis would not be his life's work. Goldberg was frequently quoted as saying that, "he had strokes, but not the head."[citation needed]
Goldberg returned to writing. His older brother,Daniel Goldberg, had attained success writing and producing films, includingStripes andMeatballs, both starringBill Murray. Goldberg moved to Los Angeles, where he sold his first screenplay within a week. He signed with theWilliam Morris Agency, and soon secured his first job writing forMatty Simmons, owner ofNational Lampoon and producer ofAnimal House.
A multi-picture deal atDisney followed, including:I'll Be Home for Christmas starringJonathan Taylor Thomas andJessica Biel; a sequel toThe Mighty Ducks; and the award-winning Hallmark film,A Step Toward Tomorrow, a story about two young brothers, one reliant on a wheelchair after an accident. Premiering to rave reviews during CBS Sweeps Week in the winter of 1996, the film was also noted for a touching and memorable performance byChristopher Reeve, in his first acting role after his tragic horseback riding accident.[citation needed]
In 2003, Goldberg directed the short film,Where's Angelo?, aGet Shorty-style production, which starredRobert Forster,Michael Madsen,Beverly D'Angelo, andWolfgang Bodison and was honored at theHollywood Film Festival.
Goldberg became friends withSNL alumRob Schneider, and together they gave a series of stand-up comedy performances, including co-hosting theMontreal Comedy Festival and a memorable appearance onLate Night with Conan O'Brien, where the duo performed as the satirical Blue Man Ass Group. Goldberg subsequently accompanied Schneider to Chicago, where Schneider was to be master of ceremonies at a fundraiser for PresidentBill Clinton and Vice PresidentAl Gore. An hour before the event, Goldberg was asked to fill in by Clinton himself, after theSecret Service expressed concerns that Schneider's public image - he was then starring inMen Behaving Badly - might reflect unfavorably on the President. Goldberg later described the experience as the most surreal of his life.[citation needed]
Goldberg went on to write and co-produceDeuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo underAdam Sandler'sHappy Madison shingle.Touchstone acquired the project after a bidding war withNew Line. Modestly budgeted at $16.5 million, the film was a box office success, grossing $68 million domestically and over $100 million internationally.[citation needed]
Goldberg next partnered withDana Carvey, writing and co-producingThe Master of Disguise forSony Pictures, which grossed a profitable $40 million domestically.Without a Paddle followed, starringSeth Green,Matthew Lillard,Dax Sheppard andBurt Reynolds which grossed $58 million forParamount Pictures.[citation needed]
Goldberg crossed over to television writing during this period, selling pilots to HBO, CBS, NBC, ABC, TNT and USA. It was during this time that Goldberg developeddepersonalization disorder, an anxiety and stress reaction he calls the most hideous and frightening time of his life. He would go on to say that he did not know if he would make it from one day to the next.[citation needed]
After recovering, Goldberg wrote the screenplayNumb about the experience. ActorMatthew Perry attached himself to the project, and soon afterward Goldberg landed his feature film directorial debut with a cast that includedMary Steenburgen,Kevin Pollak, andLynn Collins. The film won many festival awards, including Best Feature at Chicago's GenArt Film Festival and the Ojai International Film Festival. Goldberg has stated that the film was not only cathartic personally, but that it also proved helpful to many sufferers and drew attention to the disorder from the medical community.[citation needed]
In May 2013, Goldberg started his second directorial effort onAlex & the List. Shooting was completed in Los Angeles, andPatrick Fugit stars withJennifer Morrison,Karen Gillan,Aaron Staton,Eddie Kaye Thomas, Giles Martini,JoBeth Williams andVictoria Tennant. The film was released on May 4, 2018, by Gravitas Ventures.[4][5]
Between projects, Goldberg began teaching film at UCLA with an emphasis on the practicalities of surviving the business. He subsequently became a professor of film and television at McMaster University in Ontario Canada. He also regularly contributes OP-EDS on personal experiences in the entertainment industry for The Hamilton Spectator, his hometown newspaper.
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He will be writing and directingQuick Draw, announced in 2017, starring Academy Award winnerCommon.Lorenzo Di Bonaventura will produce.[6][7][8] In February 2020 Goldberg's next feature, "ABILENE," was set to begin production in Toronto. Goldberg is currently writing/directing the television pilots "ALGONQUIN" for CBC Canada and "EARTHBOUND" for French-based PIXCOM MEDIA and ZDF in Germany.
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